


Danganronpa : Purgatory

by HexDecimal



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Afterlife, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Dangan Ronpa Spoilers, Digital Art, Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Implied/Referenced Suicide, Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Male Fujisaki Chihiro, Male Pronouns for Fujisaki Chihiro, Multi, Murder, Murder Mystery, New Dangan Ronpa V3 Spoilers, POV Akamatsu Kaede, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Sort of? - Freeform, Suicide, Super Dangan Ronpa 2 Spoilers, Temporary Character Death, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:53:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24383851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HexDecimal/pseuds/HexDecimal
Summary: Kaede Akamatsu could remember it vividly. The sensation of dying. Feeling everyone's eyes burning into her as she failed to draw in another breath.But just as soon as she died, she was awake once more. Somewhere in a school filled with students she knew, and others she didn't.They all had one thing in common, though. They could also remember their deaths.It isn't until they heard the familiar voice of Monokuma over the speakers, and it began to sink in.They were in a hell. A purgatory. They would be forced into a killing game once again.--------------Tags to be updated as the story progresses.This story is very self indulgentNote: Chihiro is referred to with she/her pronouns at the beginning of the story, but the pronouns do switch partway through and he is referred to as he/him or they/them.
Relationships: Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 28
Kudos: 89





	1. Awake

**Author's Note:**

> Kaede Akamatsu -  
> \- BL  
> \- EXE1VIC1  
> -VIC-RA  
> \- Pianist  
> \- 2/EXENULLVICNULL
> 
> Status -  
> \- Functioning  
> \- 100%  
> \- Neck[100%]  
> \- //NULL//

Throughout her ears rang the sound of the piano, the tune turning sour and mocking her. Kaede’s hands clawed desperately at the metal latch that gripped around her neck snuggly. That dreadful collar mixed with the weight of her body was closing her airways tighter and tighter. She drew in a hiss through her teeth, desperately trying to move any air into her lungs. Could the others see? What were they thinking? The pianist desperately wanted to look at them, peer into their eyes. Those were the gateway to the soul, right? What would she see? Angry, betrayal, fear, triumph, satisfaction? No matter how hard she tried though, the constant motion prevented her from focusing. Down went her body on the keys, ringing another note through the air. Another twitch and grasp at the collar, each attempt more feeble than the last.

Her pulse was pounding in her ears and behind her eyes, as if her heart was what was blocking her throat. Badump. Badump. In time with the tune of the waltz, turning a piano solo into a fully fledged song with a painful drum accompaniment. Darkness creeped at the edge of her vision, and her entire face felt like it was burning. She’d never suffocated before, but it was as if she was dangling upside down. That was the only sensation she could even think of comparing it to, but this was so much worse. Her numb lips moved wordlessly as her head began to feel fuzzy. She wasn’t even sure as to what she was trying to say, or if the other could even see the sentences she slowly formed. Even her tongue was painfully burning as her hands slowly gave up their efforts to free her from her punishment, and slipped down to her sides as her body lurched. Was she going to vomit? Scream? Her head raced and with a painful whine, Kaede realized there was no light at the end of the tunnel; just an impending darkness that had long been crawling over her gaze.

It wasn’t till that darkness fully enveloped her did the song die out. Or perhaps she’d simply passed before the melody drew to a close.

There was a faint whirr. Then a click. Whirr. Click. Whirr. Cli- “Huh?” Kaede sat up, blinking rapidly as she surveyed her surroundings. She was… in a bed? Her hands swiftly clasped her neck, and she inhaled deeply. She could breathe. What had that been, a twisted dream of sorts? Glancing around once more, the pianist stood and stumbled on her shaking legs. The room was dull, but it could definitely be worse. Just a little color on the cream walls, or blankets that weren’t solid black. It could almost be a home. Why… Why was she thinking like this? Shaking her head, Kaede took a small step forward till she felt a slight tug against her left shoulder.

  
There was a wire extending from it, connecting her to a large machine she originally mistook for a nightstand. It had a wooden exterior, but in between breaths she could hear a soft hum emoting from within. Jutting out from it was a white cord that snuck under the blue hospital gown she was clad in. First she tugged on the cord where it hooked to the box, but it did nothing. It wasn’t very long, perhaps five feet at best, which meant if she wanted to flee she would have to… disconnect from it.  
A deep breath, and she shut her eyes. They did this in movies all the time with IVs. That must be what this was. Kaede hadn’t been to a hospital before, at least not that she could vividly remember. Gripping the cord at her shoulder, she clenched her jaw and pulled. There was a soft buzz, followed by a ding from the nightst- the box. Suddenly, a small screen Kaede failed to notice before lit up on the surface of the strange machine. On it was a picture of her face.

Lifeless.

Her eyes were bloodshot, and her lips were blue. There was a red mark along her neck.

Her chest tightened and she tore her gaze away, feeling her body tremble gently. No… that couldn’t be her. She was… she was seeing things. Giving herself a little nod as if she were encouraging another person, Kaede turned back to the machine.  
She looked normal. A healthy complexion. Lavender eyes. A faint smile on her lips. Next to the image, text began to appear.

Kaede Akamatsu -  
\- BL  
\- EXE1VIC1  
-VIC-RA  
\- Pianist  
\- 2/EXENULLVICNULL

Status -  
\- Functioning  
\- 100%  
\- Neck[100%]  
\- //NULL//

Open? -

[YES] [NO]

The words ‘yes’ and ‘no’ flashed gently, as if awaiting input. Hesitating for a moment, she looked over the words once more. What could they mean? The mention of ‘Neck’ couldn’t be a coincidence, unless it perhaps stood for something? What did ‘100%’ mean? What was this box? The questions swam through her skull, and in a last ditch attempt to make sense of it she slammed a finger down on ‘yes.’ The screen blinked red once in a circle around her finger, before shifting to green.  
There was a soft hiss from the box, and a compartment on the front below where the wire connected suddenly opened. Pausing once more, she tried to swallow down her nerves and reached her hand in. A rough texture brushed against her fingertips, and she slowly pulled the object out.

A rope.

Trembling now, she quickly shoved the rope back into the hatch and shut the doors, sighing softly through her nose as she could hear a soft click once it latched shut. The screen simply began to blink again, asking if she’d like to open it once more. The pianist didn’t even bother to press ‘no,’ she simply stood and backed away.  
An escape. She needed an escape from this strange room now that she was no longer connected to the machine. Stumbling a bit, she tore open the first door she saw with a grunt. Bathroom. As bland as the bedroom she’d awoken in, and certainly not an exit.

The next door she opened wielded similar results. It was a closet, filled with the same outfit on every hanger. Anything would be better than the hospital gown, right? Who knew what was outside, anyways? If she stumbled into somewhere dangerous, having proper clothes and, well… underwear… would be much more ideal. Sighing softly, she grabbed one of the outfits, and rummaged through a drawer in the closet till she located all the other essentials.

  
When she was in the bathroom, she kept her back to the mirror. Part of her was scared to see her face. What if it was as lifeless as the image on the monitor? Sure, the fear was irrational, but nonetheless. As she began to dress herself, she kept her eyes closed. If she were to look down, would it be a similar sight to when she’d been… no, it was stupid to think about it. It would only make her panic more. As long as she didn’t look at herself, she was fine.

  
The clothes were different, though not by much. Her white shirt was relatively the same, though now she lacked a vest and tie. Perhaps that was for the best, considering the idea of tying something around her neck right now only reminded her of… of… No! Stop.

  
The high waisted purple skirt was a bit bland at first glance, but it wasn’t until she noticed the black and white pattern at the bottom, and the white notes at the top, did she actually smile to herself softly. The notes that wrapped around her waist were actually a simple song. The beginning of Bach’s Minuet, one of the first classical songs she’d learned. At least there was something comforting in this hell.

  
Once she’d pulled up her white stockings and slipped on a pair of simple black shoes, her eyes paused on the last parts to her outfit. Music note barrets, a hair tie, and a pair of simple purple gloves that matched the shade of her skirt. Sighing, she pulled her hair back into a tight bun, using a few of the hairpins to keep it together, while the remainders held her bangs back. Hopefully it was fine, despite her refusal to use the mirror. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t done this before recitals.

  
The gloves were left discarded. What use would they have, anyways?

  
Once she emerged from the bathroom, there was a soft ding from the box, and a click across the room. The final door she had to open. Biting her lip, she slowly approached and tore it open.  
A hallway. Plain and simple. Closing the door behind her, she turned to catch sight of a simple sign displaying her name, but not her appearance. That was normal. Kaede had to assure herself of this. What she was imagining had happened… it didn’t. It had been a nightmare. Passing through the hall she let her eyes trace over names she didn’t recognize. Ikusaba. Koizumi. Etcetera etcetera. Though, a few did seem familiar. Chabashira, Iruma, Tojo. But it had just been a dream, right? This was just an odd coincidence.

  
Listening to the sound of her own shoes against the floor of the hall, Kaede could feel her hands twitching gently despite her efforts to calm herself. Where was she? It resembled a school of sorts, and was certainly well kept. Yet… it was empty. Suffocatingly empty.

  
From somewhere, though, she could hear voices. Maybe she was imagining them in her delusional and desperate state. “H-hello?” Kaede tentatively called out into the empty halls, secretly hoping she’d receive no reply. From somewhere, a door opened. So she wasn’t alone?  
She should’ve brought a weapon

.  
No! Shaking her head again, she swallowed and took a few more steps. “Is anyone there?”

  
Suddenly, there was a hand on her wrist, tugging her around a corner and whirling her around. The pianist stifled a gasp of shock, finding herself face to face with a slightly shorter girl with red eyes and short black hair. She wore a victorian-style black dress, garnished with bright red ribbons and laces on her collar, sleeves, and the trim. At least, Kaede could only assume it was victorian-style. She didn’t know anything about fashion. No, there she went, thinking about pointless things once again.

  
“Finally, somebody I know.” The girl snapped, not having bothered to so much as even glance at the pianist. “I don’t know where we are, but it isn’t the academy and-” Suddenly she fell silent, and the two girls met each other’s gaze. “You’re… not her.” She said softly, releasing Kaede’s wrist and stepping back with a softly muttered cuss under her breath. “I… I am sorry, I mistook you for somebody else. It is clear you are nothing like her, though. You merely… sounded similar.”

  
Kaede blinked, catching hint of an accent that had not been present before. Still, part of her was relieved to know somebody here was just as lost as she was. “I’m sorry…” She muttered softly, looking at the other girl as she extended her hand. “I’m Kaede. Kaede Akamatsu.”

  
There was silence, and the black haired girl didn’t even raise a finger to Kaede. After some time had passed, she cleared her throat and spoke, the earlier accent gone. “I am Cel-” She stopped, eyes growing wide for a moment before she clenched her fists and let out a shaky breath. “...Taeko Yasuhiro.”

  
Kaede lowered her hand, watching Taeko curiously. She seemed pensive. Unwilling to grace others with something as simple as eye contact. Was she scared, or just unaware of people around her? A narcissist? What really piqued Kaede’s interest, though, was how knowledgeable Taeko seemed towards their predicament. “Do you… know where we are?”

  
Scoffing, Taeko rolled her eyes and shoved past Kaede. “Do your ears need to be cleaned or do you just not listen? When I grabbed you I specifically said I didn’t know where the hell this is.” Kaede blinked, before following a few paces back like a lost pup. Taeko definitely had a point.

  
“Ah! S-sorry, I guess you just sounded like you knew what was going on.”

  
“What, do you think I’m conspiring with the masterminds or something?” Jeez, talk about snippy. Kaede shook her head before remembering that the other girl wasn’t even glancing at her.  
“No, I didn’t mean it like that!” She tried to clarify, but Taeko simply waved her hand dismissively and continued onwards with confident strides.

  
“I must have hit my head, mistaking somebody like you for Kirigiri.” As the duo carried on, Kaede found herself pausing every so often to stop and stare down different halls, while Taeko pushed forwards as if she already knew the layout of the school building. Or so Kaede thought, till they hit a dead end. “Shit. It’s different.” Taeko kicked one of the walls, before turning and marching down a new hall.

  
“What…” Kaede began softly, matching strides with the other so they were walking next to one another. “What did you mean when you said ‘different?’”  
“It’s not Hope’s Peak.” That was the only answer she was given, and quite frankly it clarified nothing.

  
More silence, till the distant sounds of chatter were growing louder. Two large doors loomed above the girls, and Taeko gripped the handle before pausing. Kaede looked at her, furrowing her brows. “Is something wrong?”

  
A long pause, and Taeko took in a deep breath. “No. Of course not.”

  
With that, the door opened.

Thirty-one students. Or so Kaede counted. Yet this wasn’t a peaceful gathering in a school gym. The air was hostile. Everyone was grouped together in small cliques, glaring at the other groups as if they all had weapons trained on each other. Even Taeko seemed to shrink back at the sight of everything, despite her confident and stuck-up demeanor from before.  
“Kaede?” A voice from afar caught her attention, and the pianist turned to see a familiar group of faces she’d met in those twisted dreams she’d had.

  
The other members of her killing game. No, no. The killing game wasn’t real. It hadn’t happened! She’d spent her entire walk here convincing herself of that. The person who had called to her had been one of the last people the pianist would have expected to care. Miu Iruma was watching her, and slowly the rest of the group turned as well. The air suddenly became heavy. Did… they have the same dream Kaede had had? Was that why a few seemed hesitant to even look at her?

  
Kaito was the first to speak, giving a wide grin and waving at the pianist. “Would you look at that? Everyone’s here now! C’mere, Kaede!” Of course. It was just like the astronaut to be so nonchalant.

  
Miu was the next to speak. “W-wait! She doesn’t know anything, remember?”

  
Then, a snide mark from Kokichi. “Aww, is the whore scared Kaede is gonna know about her dirty little secret?”  
“M-my secret?! Fuck you! You… y-you’re the reason I’m-”

  
Angie suddenly stepped between the two of them, smiling softly. “Just… wait before you tell her about those things. Remember, she was second.”

  
Second. That word rang through her skull as she stared at the group. Taeko seemingly had slunk off elsewhere, leaving the pianist alone as everyone stared at her.  
But it… wasn’t everyone. Five people were missing. She cleared her throat, taking a step forward. “Where’s Shuichi?”

  
Kokichi’s eyes seemed to light up, and a wicked grin spread over his face. “Alive, duh!” The small boy was quickly yanked back by his shirt collar, and Kaede stared ahead numbly.

  
“A-alive?” She croaked, instinctively bringing her hand to her neck. But… she was breathing. Living. Right? “Wh-what do you mean? We’re all alive! We’re all standing right here!”

  
Kokichi chuckled despite the death grip Kaito had on his shirt. “Jeez, you really didn’t notice? How’d you change without realizing?” Kaede could only blink cluelessly, and Kokichi sighed. “Miu! Why don’t you strip and show her? It’s not like you care, right?”

  
Miu’s face reddened, and she looked between the ground and Kaede. “F-f-fuck you…”

  
“Stupid whore, I’m trying to explain to Kaede exactly why I can’t do that for you!” The purple haired boy sneered.

Before she could ask what the hell was going on, static sounded over the speakers. Everyone fell silent, looking to the stage as if they already knew what was coming. To their dismay, it came true.

  
“Testing! Testing! Is this damn mic on?!” A familiar cheery voice echoed in the gymnasium, and several students flinched at the very thought of what was to come. “Ahem! Did you little bastards miss me?”

  
A sudden flash of light, and from behind a podium emerged a figure nobody in the room wanted to see again. A little animatronic bear, half black, half white. A divide straight down the middle.

  
“Welcome everyone! Took you fucks long enough to get here…” Monokuma muttered, taking a moment to stretch. “I’m sure you’re all very confused! As much as I’d love to give you every juicy little detail, it would really mess up my first motive! I mean, come on! You’re tossed into a room of potential murders and people who know more than you! What could be more dramatic than that!”

  
Nobody moved. Nobody dared to move. The bear chuckled again, picking at his teeth with a claw for a moment. “Well! Consider this a formal welcome! I hope you all enjoy the very very special ‘Second Chance Killing Game!’”

  
There it was. Those words sunk into Kaede’s skull as her legs suddenly felt weak. Another killing game? It was only then that her brain finally registered the shape of a certain somewhere towards the back of her own class. A boy with light green hair, watching her carefully as she sunk to the floor. Rantaro.

  
She couldn’t scream. Couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. Couldn’t breath. It was like she was strung up by the rope once more, suffocating.

  
Kaede was only vaguely aware of the sensation of her body tumbling to the ground unconscious, hearing muffled shouts from those she knew before her senses faded.


	2. Revalations and Keychains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The grand reveal of how she'd come back to life, followed by the meeting of a mysteriously energetic girl. 
> 
> What could go wrong?
> 
> \-------
> 
> If y'all wanna give your opinions on the twist in this chapter, I'd love to hear what you think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Kirumi Tojo -  
> \- BL  
> \- EXE2VIC1  
> -VIC-RH  
> \- Maid  
> \- 2/EXENULLVICNULL
> 
> Status -  
> \- Functioning  
> \- 98%  
> \- Palm[100%]  
> \- //NULL//

When she finally awoke again, she was back in the room. The wire was back in her shoulder. Everything was quiet. Kaede lay there, frozen for a moment as she stared at the ceiling. Had that been a dream too?

  
From the corner of her eye she caught sight of a figure moving, and swiftly sat up in the bed. Kirumi was sitting in a wooden chair to the side of the bed, drumming her fingers on her knee and staring at the far wall. As Kaede stirred, the maid turned her head and blinked a few times. “Ah, you’ve been unconscious for almost an hour.”

  
How could she be so calm about it? Kaede moved to stand, but Kirumi was quick to place a hand on her shoulder. “W-Wait.” A stammer slipped into the maid’s voice, and Kaede stopped. Kirumi’s stoic demeanor faltering was a rarity like none other. “Monokuma… he instructed me to give you this. I wanted to wait till you woke up.”

  
As Kaede took a small handheld tablet from Kirumi, she paused at the sight of the maid’s gloves. Rather than her typical black gloves, these were a solid white. In fact, Kirumi’s uniform almost took a reverse on color scheme. A black shirt and skirt with a white apron overtop. Small decorative embroidery of roses and vines swept across the skirt and apron. It was actually quite pretty.  
Tsk. Distractions. The sound of the tablet booting up shook Kaede back to her senses, and a small buffer appeared. Seemed even somebody as powerful as Monokuma couldn’t get perfect internet for streaming. “What is this, anyways?” Kaede asked as Kirumi leaned closer to look at the screen.

  
“I don’t know. Some of us were just instructed to deliver them to those who passed out from shock.” Though the maid’s tone was nonchalant, Kaede could feel her face warm with embarrassment. At least she wasn’t the only one…

  
There was a little ding from the screen, and both of the girls trained their eyes on it quietly. Monokuma quickly appeared into frame, waving one of his paws as he let out his signature laugh. “Ah! You’re finally up! I figured a few of you bastards would blow a fuse at the idea of another killing game, so I prepped these videos! Sit tight through it, unless you want everyone else who managed to stay awake to know more than you.”

  
Her mouth felt dry as she observed the screen, and she glanced over at Kirumi instead. The maid saw the pianist’s gaze, and spoke softly. “He explained a few… important details while you were unconscious. I was hoping this video could maybe provide more information.”

  
So even those who had been conscious were confused, or maybe she was misreading the girl’s intent. Monokuma was now giving a dramatic spin on the screen, smiling widely. “It's a big waste of time to even explain the rules, considering everyone here has experience! Well, everyone except the first victims! But that’s their problem~!”

  
The screen changed to display a figure Kaede recognized. It was Keebo, the robot from her killing game. He hadn’t been in the gym before. “Let’s get right to the meat of the situation! Bear with me, cause this is a real doozy!” Keebo’s eyes lit up, and the screen panned over his body. “This right here, for those of you who don’t know, is K1-B0! A modern marvel in machinery, second only to me!” *Monokuma was now back on the screen, chuckling at his own narcissism. “Just like poor little Pinocchio, this bucket of bolts wasn’t a real boy, but he could behave like one! That’s all thanks to the power of technology! Now, some of you probably know where I’m going with this-“

  
Kirumi squirmed a bit in her seat, clearing uncomfortable as Monokuma kept speaking. But what on earth did this all mean? “The reason I kept you locked in your rooms till you changed was to make sure you got a good eyeful! Even then… some of you failed to manage that. So we’ll drop the bombshell here instead!”

  
Kaede realized that comment was perhaps directed at her. She’d kept her eyes closed the entire time. Didn’t even try the door before changing. It really didn’t matter though, right? What could possibly be- “You students are no longer humans!”

  
Kirumi’s hands clenched together as Kaede sucked in a sharp breath, eyes growing wider. No longer human? What the hell did that even mean? “Those lovely memories of yours are all true! You’ve died. Stabbed. Strangled. Boiled. Beaten! It’s all real and there’s no ignoring it!”

  
Kaede instinctively reached to her neck with a trembling hand, swallowing as her fingers gently brushed the skin. Was it even skin?

  
“However! Thanks to technology I’ve managed to create AI based on your mind, personality, fears, and everything in between! And let me tell you, having to see one more weird browser history might push me to participate in these games too. I know everything about you. I created you.”

  
It took every bit of willpower not to shut the device down and run to the nearest mirror. To see if what he said was true. “Your AI was then uploaded to a specially made cybernetic body, customized to look and feel like your own down to every tiny detail. After all, the game isn’t any fun if you’re not feeling human, right?”

  
A few nonsensical lines of code appeared on the screen, as if the little bear was trying to show off how he managed it. “All thanks to a previous student’s work. Impressive, right? Thank you, Fujisaki!”  
A long pause, and Monokuma cleared his throat. “I know what you’re thinking and no, I’m not spewing bullshit! This game is giving you weaklings and crazed murderers a second chance! Whoever wins the killing game not only earns their freedom, but gets to keep this wonderful cybernetic body to live out the remainder of their life as a human would! Save for a few things. You can’t eat, you can’t use the bathroom, and instead of sleeping, you charge. Oh! And one final parting gift to you poor idiots who couldn’t handle the first reveal. If you’re still conscious, listen up! Maybe shoo away anybody else, if you want this upper hand all to yourself!”

  
Kirumi stood, beginning to walk away till Kaede grabbed her hand. “Why are you leaving?”

  
The maid paused, blinking in surprise. “This message isn’t for me. I remained conscious.”

  
“So? Look, Kirumi. I’m not planning to do what…. I’m… i won’t do something like that again.” What was Kaede even saying? She didn’t know how Kirumi died. If the maid had been a victim, that was perhaps the worst thing Kaede could say. To her surprise, Kirumi simply gave a curt nod and sat back down.

  
Monokuma’s chipper voice droned on. “Your body is meant to be as human as possible. You feel pain. You can register differences in heat. You can be poisoned. Basically, if your programming detects something dangerous, it will behave accordingly. You might not be able to bleed out, but I have you set to shut down permanently if you suffer enough damage. Your AI will be deleted. Then you will be dead forever. So here’s a special bit of info!”

  
The screen darkened slightly, and Monokuma’s face covered the entirety of the monitor. “These bodies react like any normal person would. You experienced it first hand. If you’re under enough stress, you can blackout. Some of you bastards have been more fucked up than others. Keep that in mind. If you want to get away with killing, try and figure out just what makes somebody really panic. It’ll give you a nice forty-five minute window where they’ll be incapacitated. WELP! Best of luck! Holler if you have questions, I’ve got cameras everywhere!”

  
With that, the screen went dark. Kaede was frozen for a moment, taking a few shallow breaths as she began to process it. Was… was she the one processing it, or was there a computer within her doing the work. Hands trembling now, she dropped the tablet and stood swiftly, as Kirumi followed suit.

  
“I know it’s a lot to process…” The maid began, gingerly reaching towards Kaede. The pianist shook her head, and tugged at her shirt collar.

  
It was… way too much to process. She wanted to speak, to ask for help or for an explanation. How was this possible? Maybe Monokuma was lying. This was a sick joke of sorts. The blonde darted into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her and locking it. Leaning against the door she tried to steady her breathing as Kirumi made a few futile tugs on the knob. “A-Akamatsu, just remain calm, alright? You do not want to pass out again…”

  
Kirumi’s words fell on deaf ears as Kaede took a few steps towards the mirror. Her hands slowly crept across the bottom of her shirt, and she swallowed. Then, with a swift motion she raised the bottom of her shirt, exposing her stomach. At first glance it seemed normal, and the pianist almost released the breath she’d been holding. However, as her fingertips traced over the skin, she felt them hook onto a small indent. A panel. Small screws held it in place, preventing her from opening it. Dropping her shirt she then looked at her hands, bending her fingers slowly. It appeared normal, as if there was just a layer of artificial skin pulled over the hydraulics, or whatever it was that made her joints move. At certain angles, she could hear soft hums from her knuckles, or wrists. Then, her eyes. Staring into the mirror she saw lavender eyes looking back. Though the longer she stared, she realized they weren’t real. Something was simply… off. Leaning closer, a small shine reflected in the center of the pupil. Was that how she was ‘seeing?’

  
“Akamatsu?” Kirumi’s voice called from outside of the room again. She didn’t move. She seemed so… human. But there was just something off. Small things. The noise from her joints. The camera in her eyes. The way her skin stretched and even just the one singular spot her body became entirely inhuman. A metal panel leading to inner workings. A port in her shoulder where she had to plug into a machine and charge. It was like she was dissociating, but how could you if you didn’t have a body to separate from in the first place? It was then that Kaede realized this body didn’t have the ability to cry.

When she finally stepped from the bathroom, Kirumi was sitting on her bed with her hands folded in her lap. “Ah, are… you alright?

”  
Kaede hesitated, before giving a slight nod. “I just… needed a moment.”

  
“I understand how you feel. I was taken aback when I first changed.” Kirumi gave a little experimental wave of her fingers, watching how they bent. “I guess it has its benefits though, if I have to find a bright side. I can work without having to eat.”

  
Kaede bit her lip, wanting to scold Kirumi for saying something like that, but letting the words die in her throat. What was the point now, anyways? Desperate to get the subject away from herself, she looked up at the maid. “How is everyone else taking it?”

  
Kirumi gave a soft chuckle, standing as she brushed her hands down her uniform to smooth it out. “Gonta is keeping an eye on Iruma, to make sure she doesn’t disassemble herself. I don’t think he really understands that he’s a cyborg, but that’s perhaps for the best.” Kaede gave a little smile, thinking about this. That sounded a lot like Miu, to go and try to take herself apart for the sake of studying it. Kirumi continued. “Ouma has taken to referring to Momota as ‘Rover.’ Chabashira has been testing her aikido abilities. Shinguji seems to be unbothered. Yonaga has… has not left her room since she learned of the change.”

  
She nodded along, brow furrowing at the mention of Angie’s distancing. Kirumi had also not mentioned Rantaro, but it was safe to assume the maid was worried about upsetting her, right? The only other person was... “What about Ryoma?”

  
The silence was heavy as Kirumi stiffened, her eyes darting around the room as her hands tightened around the hem of her apron, crushing the depictions of the roses. “I have n-not spoken to Hoshi.” Her words were quick as she began to stride towards the exit. “...My apologies.” Opening the door to leave Kaede’s room, she paused halfway out of it. “If you are feeling well, a student from a different… ‘class’ has asked if we could all assemble in two hours. We’ll be at the gym.”

  
The blonde watched as Kirumi left the room, and slowly sat on her own bed. She was… tired. Part of her was too scared to even attempt to sleep. How could sleeping be possible? Could she dream? Damnit. All these pointless questions burning through her mind as she rubbed her temples with a sigh. Hell. She was in hell.

A fitting punishment for what she did.

The nightstand next to her bed blinked once, twice. Kaede ignored it, slowly pulling her knees to her chest. Sure, she deserved it, but what about the others? Not everyone here was a killer. A cold blooded murder. Why was Rantaro here?

  
Sitting on her bed would accomplish nothing. Deciding to stop whining about her misfortune, the pianist left the room, It would be best to explore, wouldn’t it?

  
The school had a standard layout, save for the fact that the upper floors were blocked off. A gym. A cafeteria. Locker rooms. Dorms? That was the only part that really stood out. Perhaps they’d once been classrooms. Continuing on, she found a few other rooms that caught her eye. An art room, storage closet, and a music room. Stepping into the final room, Kaede paused to admire the instruments for a moment. Cellos, trumpets, glockenspiels, drums, bass, everything. Off in one corner, a piano. Kaede stopped, blinking a few times before approaching it.

  
She sat down, looking at it and letting her fingers hover just above the keys. On instinct her fingers began to play a simple tune. Melodical and basic, which gradually became more complex. Soon the soft melody of Chopin’s Nocturnes rang through the room, and she shut her eyes. A sense of relief flooded over her, as she took a few deep breaths. The melody began to change again, but this time, something was wrong…

  
The song was now simple, three notes being played at the same time was its maximum complexity. A small gasp slipped from her lips, as her hands seemed to move on their own. From flats to naturals.

The Flea Waltz began to play and mock her.

Trembling now, she realized she couldn’t stop. It played on loop, as her synthetic heart beat in time with it violently. Louder. Pounding in her skull. Sour notes slipped in with the notes, and she tried to pull away with no luck.

  
“Hey, you okay?” A hand suddenly gripped her wrist, forcing the song to come to a sudden stop. Kaede looked up, still trembling softly. Over her stood a girl with black hair pulling into two buns, and several piercings on her face. The pink and blue highlights almost looked like they were swirling into the buns, and emphasized her choppy bangs.

  
Furthermore, the girl was leaning incredibly close. Suffocatingly close. Before Kaede could even muster a reply, the stranger jumped back, teetering on her tall platform boots as she dramatically posed. She was adorned in a long black jacket, and a short skirt. Spikes decorated the collar, and the sleeves had been messily chopped off. The jacket was unzipped and open, showcasing a flashy graphic tee beneath as Kaede struggled to peel her gaze away from the chaos before her. “OH! You’re mute?!” The girl chirped, spurring the pianist into focus.

  
“Ah, n-no, I was just distracted…” Kaede dipped her head in a little apology, and the strange girl let out a loud laugh before giving a dramatic spin. How on earth did she stay upright in those shoes?!

  
“OH! Peeking is A-OKAY with Ibuki!” The girl - Ibuki, was it? - nearly hollered. “Like it? Ibuki got it from a really weird room, but the sleeves were HUGE! So she ripped them off!” The girl flexed an arm, grinning broadly.

  
Kaede couldn’t help but laugh softly, trying to push back her anxiety over the piano song. “It’s really cool, Ibuki.” She said, eying the eccentric outfit once more.  
This only made Ibuki’s jaw drop, and her eyes widened. “WOAH! You know Ibuki’s name?!” She hollered, bouncing up and down. “You’re a fan?! No, no! A psychic! QUICK! What am I thinking about?!”

  
Energetic. That was the only way Kaede could describe the girl. Standing now, she gave Ibuki’s shoulder a gentle pat as she chuckled. “No, I’m not. I’m just… a pianist. I’m Kaede Akamatsu.”  
Still as impressed and expressive as ever, Ibuki gave a little ‘woaaaahhhh’ of awe and looked between Kaede and the piano. “COOL! Ibuki is the ultimate Musician! Watch!” Skipping towards the nearest guitar, the musician slung it over her shoulder and began to strum a few complex chords, eyes sparkling all the while. Kaede couldn’t deny that the girl was extremely talented, but something was bothering her.

  
Ibuki was dead, like everyone else here. How… could she be so happy? Expression faltering a bit, Kaede took a small step back, and Ibuki promptly stopped playing. “Is something wrong? Did you want a different song? Ibuki Mioda can play any genre!” The tone of the song changed to something a bit more western, Ibuki now biting her tongue in concentration.  
Kaede could only shake her head gently, prompting the other girl to lower the guitar. “It’s fine, really.” She could ask. Ask how Ibuki died. How would somebody react to a question like that, though? “I’m just overwhelmed by… everything.”

  
Ibuki gave a small nod, pressing a finger to her chin as she thought to herself. “Oh…” It was like Kaede could hear the gears turning, till the musician suddenly stiffened and grabbed the pianist by the hand. “Well! Ibuki… Ibuki can’t let anyone be sad again! So let's find you something fun!” She declared as she began to march towards the exit. Kaede could only stumble behind, practically being dragged by the arm.

  
Around the school they went, Ibuki took each stride with purpose and determination. Kaede, however, suspected that the musician didn’t have any idea where they were, or where they were headed. In fact, they’d passed the locker rooms three times now. Several minutes later, Ibuki finally seemed to have settled on a final destination. “This is it!” She declared, waving her arm at the room. It appeared to be some sort of arcade. If you could call a room full of Gashapons an arcade, that is.

  
Kaede stood off to the side as Ibuki dug around in one of the pockets of her jacket, sticking her tongue out in concentration before pulling out a small pouch. “I found these under one of the machines! Stand back, Ibuki ROCKS at these!” The musician jabbed a coin into the machine, and aggressively turned the knob. Kaede stood back, watching the small prize ball drop.  
It was… odd. To have a stranger with a tragic and unknown story trying to cheer her up. With a gashapon, no less. Ibuki seemed so… happy. Did she even care about what had happened? Was she killed, or maybe she was so calm because she was the one who did the killing? The pianist shook her head to clear those thoughts, before Ibuki suddenly held something in front of her face. “It’s a tiny cat!”

  
Sure enough, it was a little cat dangling by a keychain, and they both grew a bit quiet. Such an innocent object now carried more meaning for Kaede than she’d care to relive. A little toy cat dangling on a keychain. A little girl dangling above a piano. Odd, though; Ibuki was quiet now too. “It’s...cute.” Kaede said, doing her best to sound enthused though her voice was flat.  
Ibuki simply bore a confused expression, looking at the toy swaying in the air gently. “Y-yeah…” the girl muttered, closing her fist around the cat to stop the movement. “It is. Ibuki will give it to Gundham. He likes cats.”

  
The mood had been soiled, but the musical put forth an obviously forced grin. “Hey! It’s almost time to meet everyone, you know! There’s TONS of awesome people from Ibuki’s class! ALL of them!” Another grip onto Kaede’s hand as she hurriedly began to leave the room. Were her hands trembling?

  
“How did you-?” Kaede felt the words leaving her lips before she could stop them, and Ibuki froze abruptly. No need to finish the question, both knew. It was what they were too scared to ask.

  
“Ibuki…” The musician’s voice was quieter than ever before. “Well, I-”

  
“No, don’t.” Kaede placed her hands on Ibuki’s shoulders, looking into the girl’s eyes. “I shouldn’t have asked. I’m sorry.”

  
“No! It’s totally fine!” Stepping back, the musician swayed back and forth as she hummed, thinking for a few moments. “It’s just funny. Ibuki can’t remember how.” Out came the cat toy, resting in her palm. “Stuff is familiar though. I can only remember getting sick, and Mikan saying she would help me. So… it couldn’t be from sickness!”

  
That made sense. The point of a killing game was in the name. You had to kill. Monokuma would never let a student die of something like an illness, right? So why was Ibuki lucky enough not to remember?

  
Maybe lucky wasn’t the right word.

  
“Mikan is a nurse. She wouldn’t let Ibuki die from sickness.” They were moving again, towards the gym. “But nobody else would hurt Ibuki either, right? I was just trying to make them happy.”

  
Kaede was at a loss for words. A few paces were made in complete silence, neither girl certain on what they should say. “You made me happy.” The pianist spoke, giving Ibuki a soft smile of reassurance. But it was just a lie.

  
Even so, it seemed to help a little. Ibuki’s posture straightened slightly, and her smile shifted to be just a bit more genuine. “Really?”

  
“...yeah.”

  
“Great!” They were at the gym now, and the musician cracked her knuckles before rubbing her face, and shaking her head. An internal peptalk. “Then lets go!”

With that, they opened the door. Kaede had hoped and expected to see the groups mingling, or maybe one defined leader among everyone. Instead, there was a complete divide down the center. Hostile glares or people nervously turning away.

  
A red haired girl grabbed Ibuki, pulling her to one half. Kirumi appeared from the other half, looking at Kaede nervously. “Akamatsu…” She began quietly, looking over her shoulder. “We.... you have a great deal to catch up on…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've come to learn hardest part of writing a fic is to fight my bias, and to include male characters.
> 
> While this story IS self indulgent (written for me, y'all just get to read it too) I want to have SOME semblance of environment and interaction.
> 
> Only writing gals with wlw undertones? Doesn't really sell the story
> 
> Hopefully I'll figure it out soon


	3. Malice with a Touch of Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The killers and victims are divided. Will anyone take the lead to pacify them?
> 
> \----------
> 
> This chapter is more dialogue heavy, sorry.
> 
> I've also tried out a new way of spacing the paragraphs. If you prefer this way (spaces between paragraphs) or the old way (no spaces between paragraphs) feel free to let me know!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Kiyotaka Ishimaru -  
> \- VIC  
> \- DTH6/4  
> \- KL-HY  
> \- Moral Compass  
> \- 2/EXENULLVICNULL
> 
> Status -  
> \- Functioning  
> \- 90%  
> \- Cranium[100%]  
> \- BKRMND [73%]

The divided room bristled with hostility as each person glared over to the other side. Kaede swallowed her fears, casting Ibuki a confused glance. What was going on? Kirumi stood next to her, placing a hand gently on her shoulder in an effort to calm her down. Right, shutting down from stress again wouldn’t be ideal. Silence was the only thing hanging heavier than the anger bristling between the two halves, till a strange man with white hair suddenly entered the room. 

He wore a white shirt with a red symbol across the front, and an out of place green tie. There was a relaxed smile on his face, and his hands were resting on a green jacket tied around his waist. No, not hands. He only had one arm. Running his hand through his hair, he gave a little shrug before sauntering to the opposite side of Kaede. “So… dividing ourselves between victim and killer. Very interesting.”

Victim, and killer? So that meant… she glanced over her shoulder at Kirumi who only averted her gaze in return. No, that couldn’t be right… right? 

Taking a moment, she surveyed the group around her. The students she recognized or had met. Kirumi, Korekiyo, Miu, Kaito, and Taeko. They’d all killed, after everything she’d said. They were supposed to stop the killing game not… not this!

Kokichi shoved his way next to the one-armed boy, cackling softly. “That can’t be right! I know Gonta killed Miu! Why isn’t that whore over here with us? She and Gonta should swap!”

Miu was a bit further in the small crowd, and at Kokichi’s words she ducked behind a man with a shaggy brown mohawk wearing a muscle tee. If Miu wasn’t a killer, then why was she here? And how on earth did a man like Gonta resort to killing somebody? This had to be another one of Kokichi’s lies, though both the inventor and entomologist looked uncomfortable. 

Kaito shot Kokichi a glance that shut the boy up, though a majority of the killer side was still confused. However, the liar’s words did seem to ripple through the crowd as others began expressing their own confusion and concerns.

“Where’s Byakuya?”

“Did Gonta really kill somebody?”

“There’s no way Mikan would hurt someone!”

“Where’s Junko?”

“Why would Junko be here? She was the mastermind!”

“Huh? But she-”

A sudden voice interrupted the crowd, and a boy with short black hair and a white uniform emerged from the victim side of the room. “Everyone! We must remain calm!” He stood with perfect posture, scanning the gym as everyone fell silent under his booming voice. “Listen. Dividing ourselves is not the solution! Surely the killers feel remorse, right? Like…” The boy pointed to the man in the muscle tee, knitting his brows together. “Mondo! You felt guilty, you didn’t mean it! And I’m sure Chihiro… well, he has no anger towards you!”

The boy Miu was cowering behind, Mondo, straightened his posture slightly before rubbing the back of his neck. “I… I still killed a man, Ishimaru.”

Ishimaru turned towards the victim ground, swiftly approaching a small girl in brown overalls and short curly brown hair. “Explain to him, Chihiro! You’re not upset, right?”

The girl swallowed, glancing over at Mondo as she trembled gently. “I… I m-m-mean…”

A scoff from the killer side now, and Kaede turned to see Taeko roll her eyes. “This debate is a waste of time. It is clear we all still have grudges.”

The one armed man had been silent for awhile, but now he laughed. “How funny! Grudges are a huge problem, you know. It’s safe to say there has to be somebody here willing to take revenge. Not everyone is keen on forgiving.”

Chihiro took a small step away from Ishimaru, eyes glued to the floor. Stepping back between the crowds, Ishimaru glanced back at Mondo before crossing the room and grabbing his wrist, yanking him away much to Miu’s dismay. “N-no! We’re good people! You’re just angry because you were attacked.”

Taeko took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. “Tell me, Taka. Are you perfectly ready to forgive me?” Despite the loaded question, her voice remained smooth. Ishimaru froze in the middle of the room with Mondo, turning his gaze to the gambler with a soft bite to the inside of his cheek. No reply. “Exactly. You have always been quite foolish so allow me to shed light on the situation. Some people here are quite bothered by what occurred, like…” Taeko hummed, waving her wrist around the room lazily before settling on a target. “Her. You haven’t spoken a word yet. Even when we first gathered.”

Following the motion of the hand, Kaede found Tenko to be on the other end. The aikido master wore baggy black sweatpants and a light blue crop top adorned with a small green bow on the back. Her fingers were slowly running through her ponytail as she tied it into its signature segments till she clenched her fists, muscles tightening beneath the gauze on her forearms. Her eyes flicked to Angie, and then to somebody on the killer side, though Kaede couldn’t determine who. Tenko suddenly jabbed her hands into the pockets of her pants, and spun on her heels without a word, making her way to the exit.

The one armed man started to approach, but a stern voice from the killer side stopped him as it called out his name. Or so Kaede assumed it was his name. Nagito. Putting his hand up defensively he stepped back as Tenko slipped out the door, chucking softly. “Hey, now. I was just making sure she didn’t do anything drastic. We wouldn’t want a murder, right?”

Kaede had been holding her tongue long enough. “Tenko would never! She wants to protect people, not hurt them!” Her voice was insistent, but Nagito simply shrugged and messed with the jacket around his waist.

“Are you sure she’s still like that, though?”

Growing still, Kaede couldn’t help but mull over this. What if Tenko had changed? Taeko was right, the girl had been extremely quiet. So much that even a stranger noticed. It was completely unlike her. How much had the others changed? Kirumi was more apprehensive, but Miu was seemingly acting normal, just with fewer crude jokes. Ryoma had always been quiet, as was Korekiyo. Angie had been less social, Kokichi seemed beyond fine, and Kaito seemed to be natural too. Rantaro was… she pushed the thought from her head. She’d been avoiding him, so how was she to know?

“We should lock the killers up! They’re unstable!” A short girl with long blonde hair chimed. She was clinging to a tall red head, though the sleeves of the baggy yellow sweatshirt she was wearing completely hid her grip. “Like that skanky killer over there!”

Miu flinched, but so did another girl with messy purple hair. It seemed the both of them were affected by the insult? While they both definitely had… prominent features, Kaede couldn’t help but find it unfair that the tiny blonde treated them that way.

The red head, however, quickly pat the girl on the head and shushed her, which earned her a slightly irritated glare. 

“She has a point.” The voice came from Kaede’s side of the room. A boy with black and white hair was the one who’d spoken. His arms were crossed over his purple and white tank top, and Kaede could see a few tattoos peeking from between the bandages on his arms. “Perhaps some of us are more than capable of such wrath once more. As a demon I have often-”

“Shut up, freak!” The tiny blonde spat, flipping the tall boy off as he now stood slack jawed. “If you were a demon, you’d be burning up in hell where you belong instead of here anyways!”

The demon-kid clenched his fists, clearly upset by this. “It is the only explanation for my revival! A powerful sorcerer must have brought me fourth to wreak havoc across this earth! I, Gundham Tanaka, will-”

“Be silent, Tanaka. This behavior is doing you no favors.” A large woman with snowy white hair pulled into a bun and a scar across her face was the one to attempt to settle the eccentric sorcerer. “While it is important to acknowledge our divide, it would be foolish to let it tear us. This will cause another killing game.”

The short blonde seemed furious despite her request for Gundham to shut up had been fulfilled. “You’re supposed to be on OUR side you stinky ogre! Why are you letting your killer get away free?!”

The woman took a deep breath, looking down at the red head whom the bratty girl seemed so fond of. “I have no qualms with my death. I took my own life, and seeing as there are no other classmates that hadn’t already passed before me, I can assume it worked to end the game.”

“A noble samurai…” Gundham muttered with an expression of awe, which the woman simply shrugged off. “Please, grace me with the knowledge of your name and title!” 

Pausing, she let a soft smile spread on her lips, and Kaede couldn’t help but feel a bit relaxed. “Sakura Oogami. Ultimate Martial Artist.” She gave a light bow before adjusting the red jacket she was wearing overtop a white shirt. 

Gundham returned the gesture, all while the short blonde rolled her eyes. “Great. You two freaks have fun.” 

A cough from the crowd, and Nagito waved his hand. “How touching. Even after death we can make friends! What’s going to happen when somebody dies again?”

Kokichi snickered, eyeballing the one armed boy before skipping close. “This guy gets it! It was so scary, being murdered! I don’t feel safe around those guys!”

Sakura looked down at the liar, who was too busy grinning at Kaito to even notice. “We will not have another murder. Is it not safe to say experiencing it once is enough?”

“Christ! This lot is a real bore! Why’d I even bother?!” Monokuma’s voice echoed through the room, and he stepped into the gap between the gaps. “Lets be real! You’re all basically strangers, right? How do you know somebody isn’t lying!?” 

The bear waved a paw to the victim half of the room, before doing a little twirl. “I thought my motives for you were good, but maybe you need an extra incentive!”

The threat of mass execution from her game echoed in Kaede’s head at the words, and she took a step back as she felt Kirumi give her shoulder a soft squeeze. No, she couldn’t take that again. 

“Come on, now. You’re gonna ruin your game before it even starts.” Nagito hummed, looking down at the bear. “At least give everyone a few days to feel desperate.”

Monokuma paused, scanning the boy over a few times. “Hmph. I hate to admit it, but you’re right, Tripod.” He grumbled, rubbing a paw against his chin as he thought to himself. “Fine! If nothing happens in a few days though, I’ll be raising the stakes, got it? You malicious bastards have gotta stop blue-balling me with these half assed arguments! I want bloodshed, dammit!”

The tiny blonde from before grimaced, looking at the bear. “Dirty pervert…” 

“Says the loli exhibitionist~” Monokuma cooed back, before beginning to head to the doors. “Whatever! I’ll give you some guys time! Bond, bump uglies, lock up the killers, I don’t give a shit!”

He whirled around suddenly, claws unsheathing and his red eye glowing harshly. “But when I get bored, you’re all fucked. Got it? So lets not get to that point! We’re here for a murder mystery, not a harem rom-com!” 

With that, he opened the door and vanished to the other side. 

A brief moment of silence, before Kokichi pressed against Sakura and gave her a watery puppy-eyed look. “So, are we locking up those mean killers or not? Kaito has been looking at me, I bet he’s thinking about killing me!”

Kaito’s jaw clenched, and if his eyes were capable of showing emotion there was no doubt they’d be burning with rage. “For the last time, it was your idea that-!”

“SEE?! He’s threatening me!!” He began dramatically cowering behind the gentle giant as Kaede turned to look at Kirumi with a nervous expression.

The tension seemed to have dissipated for the moment, both groups keeping to themselves until Ishimaru got the nerve to speak again. Grabbing Mondo’s hand, he pulled the boy to the victim side with a stubborn expression. “I know he was sorry, and… he deserves another chance! I promise, he wouldn’t hurt a fly!”

Following the uniformed boy’s lead, Ibuki skipped over and grabbed the purple haired girl’s hand, smiling widely. “Mikan, too! I know she’s good, she kept me safe when I was sick!” Mikan’s eyes were wide and her legs trembled slightly as Ibuki gave her a little tug. “Come on, Ibuki wants you to meet a few friends she made. They’re nice, I promise.”

Gundham, though away from the duo, had been watching them before he mumbled to himself. “A beast such as her… good is no adjective to grace her with. She’s maddened.”

Ibuki turned, giving Gundham a confused look before the little blonde began to speak. “Hah! Dumb bitch doesn’t even know that that slut is who-”

A hand smacked over her mouth. The redhead had silenced her. “Hiyoko. Don’t.” Shoving the other girl’s hand away, Hiyoko cussed under her breath before casting a few hostile glances towards Mikan and Ibuki. 

The musician paused, looking at Mikan and then Kaede, brow furrowing as she tried to figure out what the issue is. “Come on, you know Gundham is just… funny sometimes.” She gave Mikan’s hand another light pull, and the nurse fearfully glanced around. “...Mikan?”

Kirumi’s hand left Kaede’s shoulder, and the pianist blinked a few times in confusion as the maid approached Ibuki and Mikan, clearing her throat gently. “Ibuki? Is it alright if I take Mikan aside for a short while? I was hoping she could teach me a bit of first aid so I can assist those who are injured while I’m in their service.” A chance for Mikan to escape the awkward scenario. Now it began to click in Kaede’s head, and she watched as Ibuki hesitantly let go of Mikan’s hand. “I assure you, she will not be harmed or forced to do anything she does not desire.”

A quick glance between the nurse and the maid before Ibuki stepped back and gave a curt nod. “O-okay… okay. Sure! Mikan, I know you’ll be a great teacher! I’ll be with Mahiru or Nekomaru if you need anything, okay?”

With that, Ibuki slipped back to the other side, though by now the crowd had begun to mix as different people began to make idle, hesitant conversation. Miu and Chihiro were discussing something in a somewhat enthused tone. Ishimaru and Mondo were laughing at a joke some red-haired boy next to them made. Kirumi was leading a nervous Mikan further away from Hiyoko’s glare. Everyone seemed to relax, though Kaede still found herself feeling tense.

Rantaro was talking to Korekiyo. Was he talking about her? What she did to him? What was he saying what did he think was he angry did he hate her did he want her dead did he-

Taking a few deep breaths, Kaede closed her eyes and tried to relax herself. She just needed a distraction. Or two or ten. Surveying her surroundings she tried to find somebody who wasn’t occupied, but it seemed most were already busy talking to somebody else, or had slipped out of the room unnoticed. Deciding she should do the same, Kaede made her way to the doors.

Outside was a somewhat familiar face. Gundham Tanaka, as he’d introduced himself during one of his lengthy rambles. He was pacing back and forth across one of the hallways, muttering to himself softly. Kaede paused for a moment, simply observing in silence before approaching him with a gentle smile. “Gundham, right?”

Jumping back, Gundham tensed till he saw who was before him. “Ah, a simple human. Do not sneak up on me again, lest you desire a hex to be placed upon you.” He grumbled, giving a fantastical wave of his hands as if he were performing a magical spell.

Kaede held back a laugh at the absurdity of his words, sighing to herself as she looked him up and down. “It’s Kaede Akamatsu. My name, I mean. I’m a pianist.”

“Music. A noble pursuit.” Gundham took her hand and gave it a light shake, before placing his hands on his hips. “I apologize for my sudden departure. Large crowds are unenjoyable for me.”

A bit interested, Kaede gave a gentle tilt of her head. “Oh? Why?”

Eyes growing a bit wide, Gundham seemed at a loss for words. The pianist took the silence as an opportunity to skim her gaze over his features, and she caught herself wondering if the boy’s dull gray eye was capable of sight, now that he had an animatronic substitute. Before she could even figure out how to word such a question, Gundham was speaking once more. “I do not like them because…. B-because I am a danger to them. My demonic abilities could manifest and wreak havoc.”

Right. The demon narrative. It was interesting to know a person could still hold religious beliefs, or at least beliefs that involved an afterlife, after they’d been awoken post-death. Though it was such an odd fear, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was a different non-demonic reasoning behind it. “So you have… magical abilities?”

Gundham struck a proud pose, smiling to himself. “Of course! I am the overlord of ice! The future ruler of this pathetic world.” Kaede began to wonder if a robot could become a world leader, momentarily thinking back to classic technology take over films. 

“You remind me of a friend from my class.” She said, leaning against a wall as Gundham mirrored her across the hallway. “She could use magic too. She survived, I guess. I haven’t seen her today.”

Gundham closed his eyes, smirking to himself while letting loose a low, drawn out chuckle. “A powerful mage, indeed. She must have been quite dedicated to her craft to persevere through such a daunting trial.”

Though Kaede hadn’t known Himiko for long, she couldn’t help but laugh at this statement. Dedicated was not a fitting word to describe Himiko. She was, in the nicest way possible, lazy. “I guess she had to be strong in some ways, considering her best friend is here with us.”

Gundham was quiet for a mere moment at that sentence, but he soon shook off any semblance of worry from his shoulders. “I see, and who might this mage’s familiar, or apprentice be?”

“Apprentice?” Kaede repeated in an uncertain tone. “No, they were just friends. Tenko, the first girl to leave the room. 

This time, it was Gundham to laugh. “Just friends. How naive, but how could I expect anything more from a lowly human like you? They were much more than friends.”

“You don’t mean-?”

“Yes.” Gundham silenced her in a matter of fact tone. “They were more than friends… this powerful mage Himiko you speak of was using Tenko’s energy for spells. Humanly, of course.”

Kaede’s face fell a little, and she arched a brow. That hadn’t been what she meant, but even so she was hesitant to ruin Gundham’s grandiose fantasies. That was until the boy mentioned the idea of visiting Tenko in her room. Kaede straightened up where she stood, tensing up. “DON’T!” 

Gundham stopped, glaring at her. “You dare to-”

“She might be cute, but she’ll kick your ass, okay?” Kaede tried to explain, watching Gundham mull over this statement.

“I see…” Did he? “She is an exorcist bent on slaying demons, correct?” He did not. Kaede cleared her throat, once again finding it more and more difficult to refrain from laughing at the situation. 

“S-sure, Gundham.” If you considered men to be demons like Tenko did, Gundham made an excellent point. It was then that Kaede noticed a tiny toy cat dangling from the necklace Gundham was wearing, and she pointed to it excitedly. “Ibuki gave that to you, right?”

“Y-yeah.” His tone was one of surprise as he placed a hand over the tiny cat. “I pity that girl. She is being blinded by foolish impulsivities and an inward refusal to accept her death.”

That struck the pianist as odd, and she could feel her eyes narrowing as she tried to think what he said over. “How would you know that?” 

“Simple.” The boy gave a nonchalant wave of his hand. “I had to bear witness to Ibuki’s lifeless corpse suspended in the air. Completed by that vicious nurse. Someone must have placed a powerful and malicious curse for Mikan to suddenly behave in such a way.”

“So Mikan really did kill her?” Kaede sighed in a sorrowful tone, looking away. No wonder Mikan had seemed so frightened at a touch as gentle as Ibuki’s. 

Gundham nodded, smiling to himself with pride. “Correct. Now Ibuki harbors an inner guilt and cannot recall her demise. I was able to determine this from a mere two conversations, each lasting less than a crow’s call.”

Maybe it wasn’t magic, and Gundham was simply very good at reading a room. Either way, Kaede could feel herself growing more calm once more as the boy rambled on about his plans to conquer the world. Maybe it was good that Gundham was a killer as well. He could be a valuable ally.

If the game actually started, that is.

But there’s no way it would...


	4. Unspoken Threats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taeko questions her worth, Kaede questions her friends.
> 
> (A bit of a filler chapter! I needed a break. Explanation in chapter notes)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nagito Komaeda
> 
> \- VIC  
> \- DTH10/6  
> \- KL-CN  
> \- Lucky  
> \- 2/EXENULLVICNULL
> 
> Status -  
> \- Error!  
> \- 25%  
> \- Torso[57%]  
> \- //NULL//

Celestia Ludenberg was the ultimate gambler. Celestia Ludenberg kept a straight face under any sort of pressure. Celestia Ludenberg did not lose. 

But, Taeko Yasuhiro... Taeko Yasuhiro lost. Lost a game, a chance at her dream, a chance at freedom. Taeko Yasuhiro was not Celestia Ludenberg. She didn’t deserve such a refined title. A name that caused tension in a room when it was whispered throughout the casino. An untouchable being that truly towered above all. Without fear. Without remorse. Without failure.

Celestia Ludenberg was dead. Not dead like the others in this purgatory. They had died and had come back to life. No. Celestia was gone, gone for good. The instant a failure occurs, a fragile being such as Celeste was bound to shatter.

What remained was the forbidden and disgusting truth. Taeko. A failure’s name. Celestia had died, and Taeko was revived. Shoved into a suffocating artificial body. Worst yet, Taeko could remember Celestia. Could remember the bullshit lies she’d spewed under that pseudonym. The friends she made, and then betrayed in the pursuit of what? Money? To stoop so low was beyond embarrassing. That was what had killed Celestia. 

Now Taeko stood in the bathroom, glaring at herself in the mirror and digging her black and red nails into her palms. The damn dress was suffocating. It was so warm. Too warm. The little nightstand next to her bed flickered, beckoning her closer. Open the door. See that beloved object again. 

  
  


A deck of cards. A box of matches. A wad of cash. A hammer. Unbelievable, really. This was a joke to Monokuma. A little tease. A nudge A threat. A painful reminder. Her fists slammed on the bathroom counter once before she sucked in a deep breath, gathering herself. There had to be something here for her. She simply needed to find a goal, or a purpose. A better purpose than simply serving as a pawn in this stupid little game. She knew she was at a disadvantage. What she didn’t have was trust from anyone in the room. That damned baseball star had more allies at this point.

Who did she have?

No one.

That little pianist didn’t count. What rating did she deserve? Certainly not a higher one, so perhaps she’d score a… no. That was something Celestia did. Taeko didn’t deserve such ways of thinking. Only those to be respected and feared deserved to perceive others in such a demeaning way. 

A victim would be a fool’s choice for an ally. The room had been clearly divided, and her little spiel towards Ishimaru certainly did her no favors. What she needed was somebody who could relate to her, and her motivations. Motivation was the issue, though. Nobody would be willing to discuss something so taboo. 

Maybe that pianist was an option after all?

\----

When Kaede awoke the next day, she quickly unplugged herself from the nightstand and stretched for a few seconds. She’d found out yesterday that her body could still feel exhaustion. Her legs were sore from doing laps around the school for the simple sake of exploring. Trying to find a way to leave. Anything.

This school was so much smaller than the academy she’d gone to. 

As she began to dress, the pianist made a mental note of everything she’d found so far. Dorm rooms, music room, storage, arcade, cafeteria, gymnasium, and… oh what did it matter? A stretch, a direct avoidance of the bathroom mirror and nightstand screen, and she slipped out of her room without a sound. 

The halls were quiet, and the blonde couldn’t help but feel her nerves stir as she began to worry over where everyone was. Maybe somebody was being killed right now, as she stopped in her doorway to adjust her shirt collar. Wasting time. Damnit. Paranoia was a bitch.

The silence, though ominous, was short lived as a figure crept from around the hallway corner. Messy white hair that had been pulled back into a low ponytail. Green tie. White shirt. The one armed boy from before. Nagito, right? Something about the boy was… off putting. The way he spoke and carried himself. The way he spoke to monokuma without fear. Well, at least he’d prevented another motive, if only for a short while. 

“So… you were the second one, huh? At least that’s what I thought your classmates said.” Nagito hummed his words, smiling faintly and arching his brows. “Say, that makes you a murderer, doesn’t it? Or did your first killer go for two victims?”

Kaede stopped, feeling her heart jump with a momentary panic. Being alone and suddenly discussing violent events with a stranger became all the more terrifying when she realized how ‘at risk’ she was for being murdered or powering down. Though this boy had been on the victim side of the room, right? “I… killed someone, yes.”

Nagito whistled a single long note, before taking a quick step away. “You wouldn’t say you’re still unstable, are you?”

Now the fear subsided, and a faint anger began to push forth. Anger was a bit of a strong word, this was more… irritation. “You have the wrong idea!” Kaede chimed defensively. “I was trying to kill the mastermind and… well it was a big misunderstanding!”

“Misunderstanding?” Nagito repeated, a genuine tone of curiosity in his voice. “Would your victim say the same? Oh-” He gave a nervous laugh. “You probably haven’t spoken to them, have you? I can’t blame you.” 

Kaede chewed her lip, keeping silent. Was she that easy to read?

“Well, being the second death in a game certainly has some disadvantages.” Nagito continued to muse aloud, tapping his chin as if thinking hard over his words. “So little information! I bet the name Junko doesn’t even ring a bell to you!” Junko. Yes, she’d heard somebody say that before, in the gymnasium. Who they were, Kaede was clueless about. “I suppose I could give you some advice, or maybe just a general warning. After all, I was the second to last one to die in my game.” 

Information. It was extremely valuable here, wasn’t it? Especially when others knew so much about how dangerous a few of her new classmates were. If Gundham’s words were anything to go by, Mikan could be unstable. Then again, that boy had a tendency to exaggerate. “What would you need in return?”

This got Nagito’s attention. “You don’t think I’ll give it to you for free?” He teased, before stepping closer. “Well, I guess since you insist…” A long pause, and his face seemed to light up as he had an epiphany. “You open your nightstand for me, and I’ll tell you about how I died.”

The nightstand. What was so valuable about such a thing? All that she’d seen was a bundle of rope, but maybe… was there more in there? Something she didn’t know about? Nagito had lived longer than her. Maybe he knew something. Or maybe showing him such a thing would just lead to further her demise. Could she trust him?

There was no need to ask that question, as footsteps approached from behind. Nagito peered over Kaede’s shoulder, and the pianist turned to see who was growing closer. Kirumi was there, a blank expression on her face as she gave a slight dip of her head. “I do apologize, have I interrupted something?”

“Not at all!” Nagito’s voice was cheery as he stepped next to Kaede. Placing his hand on her shoulder, he gave it a squeeze. “We were discussing our talents, and our classmates. Right, Kaede?”

So, the squeeze was a sign to remain silent? Or perhaps a threat? Kaede swallowed her nerves before giving a quick nod, looking up at Kirumi. “Yes, I was talking about some of my favorite songs to play on the piano.”

Kirumi paused, and for a moment Kaede was fearful she’d caught on to the lie. If that was the case, the maid offered no other sign of it. “I see. I was hoping to speak to miss Akamatsu, but if this is a bad time…”

“Not at all!” The one armed boy released Kaede’s shoulder, giving Kirumi a wave before continuing down the hall. As he left, he looked over her shoulder and locked his gaze with Kaede. “Give some thought on that song I wanted you to play for me, okay? I’ll be around.”

  
  


With that, she was alone with Kirumi. The maid was clearly a bit suspicious towards the conversation, but buried her doubts quickly. “I see you’ve made an acquaintance?” 

Kaede opened her mouth to explain exactly what had happened, but the words died in her throat. Nagito knew something. Knew more than he should. Ignoring the question, Kaede found herself blurting out a sentence she didn’t mean to. “When did you die?”

There was a heavy silence as Kirumi stepped back, her stoic expression once more slipping into one of worry. Her hands clenched and unclenched repeatedly, but she shook her head. “I suppose such questions were unavoidable, considering I’ve been labeled as a murderer, and rightfully so. I just hope you are not asking such a thing at that boy’s request.”

“No.” Kaede clarified, taking a second to glance around the hall to ensure they were alone. That wasn’t entirely true. Nagito had successfully planted a seed of worry into her mind. Those with more information than her had a clear advantage. “I didn’t expect you to do that, not after the time we spent together, I mean.”

Closing her eyes, Kirumi sighed and nervously squeezed her hands together. “I was the fourth to die. The… second killer.” Kaede was tempted to ask who the second victim was, but bit her tongue. What she needed now was an ally. “It was wrong of me, and I regret it immensely. I have been spending these few short days of our lives here reminiscing over possible ways to make it up to everyone through my service, but the cost of a life is-”

“You’re… still worried about serving people?” A tinge of pain was in Kaede’s voice as she said this. Of course. Kirumi was always like that. 

“Forgive me for saying this,” Kirumi said, giving another apologetic bow. “But the only time I did something for myself, the death of another student was the price. It is in everybody’s best interest that I merely focus on my duties as the ultimate maid. In this new body I’ve been graciously granted, I know I can better serve others and ensure that-”

“K-Kirumi that’s not-”

“That everyone can remain well in times such as these, despite the circumstances. Furthermore-”

“Kirumi, please just-”

“I can use the introduction of new students to my advantage to develop my skills as well as provide my services to a variety of-”

“KIRUMI!” Kaede didn’t mean to yell, but it had successfully gotten the maid to fall silent. 

“I… I apologize. It was wrong of me to go on such a tangent.” Kirumi’s hands nervously shook as she tried to smooth out her uniform, eyes jittering around the hall. 

Kaede sighed, grabbing Kirumi’s hands and squeezing them gently. They were still trembling. “Please, you can’t think like that. It’s not.. It’s not healthy. You deserve to live normally and not… focus only on others.”

These words fell on deaf ears. “Kaede. Do you truly believe somebody who killed another person is deserving of living a ‘normal’ life as you’ve described?”

Now Kaede was silent, blinking a few times as she mulled over this statement. In order to comfort Kirumi, she’d have to excuse her action. If not excuse, then justify. Or just.. Accept? Either way, it was hypocritical considering she couldn’t do the same to herself. “B-but-”

“We are not alive.” Kirumi spoke with a dull voice. No hope in her words. Just a pitiful acceptance of their circumstances. “We are not human. We are not innocent either.”

A painful truth she’d been shoving down. Thinking like that though, is what led to desperation. Murder. The start of a killing game. 

“Come with me.” Kaede gripped Kirumi’s hand tighter, turning to walk down the hall. Dragging the maid was unnecessary. She’d have followed just at the command. Still, Kaede couldn’t bear to just… boss the girl around completely. 

  
  


To the music room. Pushing into it and closing the door behind them. Dropping Kirumi’s hand, Kaede motioned towards the piano. “Do you want to learn a song?”

Kirumi could only offer a confused expression, looking between the piano and Kaede repeatedly before replying. “If that’s what you would like me to do, I can-”

“Do  _ you want  _ to learn a song?” Kaede repeated, emphasising the word ‘want’ this time around. “You can say no, Kirumi.”

A pause, and she looked at Kaede again. “I… I don’t see the purpose of this.”

In truth, Kaede wasn’t entirely sure as to what she was doing either. She just… needed Kirumi to do something for herself. Learn a song, or deny the offer. One that didn’t have serious consequences. “I could play a song for you too, if you want that instead.”

Again, the maid protested. “I assure you, either is fine if you prefer. I am happy to do whichever you-”

“Kirumi…” Kaede kept her voice kind, and sat on the piano bench. She had to be careful on how she worded the next sentence. “You can decide, okay? What would you like?” There. It couldn’t be twisted into a request or command. It was an… offer. 

It seemed to be difficult anyways. “I… s-suppose simply hearing you practice would be nice.” Kirumi finally spoke, averting her gaze. Kaede grinned, settling onto the bench and facing the keys, before beginning a few songs. She focused more on the maid than the music though, for fear that the panic induced loop of her death would begin to play once more.

Because of this though, she could see that Kirumi was tidying the room idly. Listening and complimenting the music, yes, but still focusing on cleaning. Making everything presentable. Even so, it was a start, yes? 

What she needed was allies, of course. But most importantly, she needed to prevent the killing game, no matter what. Letting Kirumi get over this… unhealthy ideology was a good first step. Nobody could use her, or drive her to repeat her mistake again. The melody of the songs continued, and Kaede felt a soft tinge of guilt. Was trying to change Kirumi also using her? Was it wrong? 

Or was preventing the deaths of her new classmates more important?

  
  


As Kirumi cleaned, and Kaede played…

Another student opened their nightstand, marveling at the arsenal before them. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, and the shorter chapter.
> 
> I have been very busy preparing for college, as well as suffering from a two week long SEVERE depressive episode as well as surgery that I'm still recovering from!
> 
> Today is my birthday, so I sat down to do some writing. Not my best, but I hope you all still stay with the story!


	5. The Danger of Stress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A strange letter from Monokuma, followed by even stranger behavior from those Kaede thought she knew. 
> 
> \-----
> 
> Featuring a drawing of my Miu Iruma design. Art by me, of course. 
> 
> This chapter contains a part of the original Chapter 4 draft, so I apologize if the flow is a bit rough. I'm tired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Korekiyo Shinguji -  
> \- BL  
> \- EXE3VIC3/4  
> -VIC-AYTC  
> \- Anthropologist  
> \- 2/EXENULLVICNULL
> 
> Status -  
> \- Functioning  
> \- 71%  
> \- Full[100%]  
> \- //NULL//

When you’re forced by your own mind to live each day in constant fear of the ones around you, it makes those days drag on agonizingly long. So far Kaede could count the number of friends she had on one hand, and in such a place as this, that wasn’t ideal. How were the others faring? A little pause, and the pianist thought back. Ibuki. Taeko. Gundham. Kirumi. Did Nagito count? She wasn’t sure if he was an ally, or somebody to be wary of.

She never knew what to expect anymore. Yet despite all of her confusion, the last thing she’d have anticipated was a letter slid beneath her door. A black and white envelope made it clear who delivered it. What could be in store?

Cautiously opening the letter, she stopped as her eyes skimmed the words on the page. Only four words. 

  
  


**Three Days Until Motive**

A sinking feeling formed in her chest as she read those four words again and again. Impatience was bound to happen, how could it not? The goal of the game was murder, and putting it off just postponed the inevitable. Which made this…

  
  


_Day 1_

She needed to see if everyone else received the same letter. That was Kaede’s first thought. Quickly opening the door to her room, she peered around. For a school with so many students, the hallways never failed to be vacant at the worst of times. Each door she passed was closed tight, leaving her wondering if people were still resting, if they were reading the letter, or if they’d long since left their dorms. 

The first people she saw were Miu Iruma and Chihiro Fujisaki. Quickly approaching, she could see that Chihrio had a panicked expression on her face, while Miu was biting at her nails. As she came closer, the inventor’s head snapped up. “Bakamatsu! Did you get the letter too?” Miu waved the envelope, and Kaede nodded. 

Still skittish, Chihiro nervously clutched hers in her hands. “S-so then… it’s really going to happen?” The pianist looked at the smaller girl, unsure of what to say.

That wouldn’t be an issue for long, as Miu was quick to chime in. “As I fuckin’ said, it’s not gonna happen. Listen,” The inventor dug into the pocket of the pink jumpsuit she was wearing, before holding out a few small tools. “These bodies have some damn small screws, but I managed to find these. If we just use them to-”

“Y-you’re not planning on disass-s-s-sembling somebody, a-are you?!” Chihiro squeaked as Miu froze. “Y-you’re an inventor, but this is serious!”

Miu rolled her eyes, trying to hide her flustered expression after being scolded. “It’s y-your code! Why aren’t you doing anything about it?!” The inventor snapped, her jaw clenched. 

Stepping forward, Kaede reached towards Chihiro, patting her gently on the back and smiling. “Miu, you seriously need to relax. She’s been put under a lot of pressure…”

“He.” Miu remarked, flicking a wrist towards Chihiro. The programmer simply averted his gaze.

“O-oh!” Kaede pulled away, face flushing ever so slightly. “Sorry, Fujisaki!” He’d seemed rather femine, and Kaede made a mental note to correct herself from now on.

Chihiro on the other hand was giving a frantic shake of his hands, still a bit red in the face himself. “I’m used to it, t-trust me. Lots of people make that mistake.” Giving a slight dip of his head, he kept his gaze trained on the ground. “But… thank you for correcting yourself.”

Miu laughed, smacking the boy roughly over the shoulder. “Puh-lease!” She sneered in a playful tone. “Bakamatsu here is stupid, but she’s obnoxiusly nice. Fuckin sugar coats everything till you get tooth decay in your damn brain.”

Refraining from pointing out how that didn’t make any sense, Kaede tried to steer the conversation back on track. “Now about the coding-”

Immediately the inventor straightened her posture, the sudden movement causing Chihiro to flinch. “Right! C’mon boy toy, lets hop the fuck to it! C’mon, I’ll even let you use me as your test subject. Should I strip down so you have better access?! We’ve been spending a lot of time together so I wouldn’t mind giving you a little peek at my assets-”

“Please don't call me that..-” Chihiro squeaked softly, while Kaede quickly grabbed Miu by the wrist.

“You are NOT going to be disassembled!” She scolded, which only caused an irritated expression to cross over Miu’s face. “Listen, we have to be careful with this. We don’t know how these bodies work, and-”

“For fucks sake! You think I don’t know that?!” Miu yanked her hand away, before crossing her arms. “I’m finally fucking useful for once and you won’t even let me help! I’m an inventor, dipshit. My only talent is understanding machines!” Her eyes were emotionless and dead, but Kaede could still tell the inventor was hurt by her words. “Don’t talk to me like I’m a baby.”

Chihiro took a tentative step back and Kaede bit the inside of her cheek as she tried to drum up a reply to the small outburst. “Look, I didn’t… I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just saying that lives are at stake.”

“G-guys, please…”

“Lives?” Miu spat the word as if it were poison in her mouth. “Did you just say lives? For fucks sake! We’re dead! We are fucking dead! So if I have to fucking die again just to wrap my shitty little brain, or code, or fucking AI around this hell, then fine!” The inventor suddenly spun, punching her hand into a wall. A metal clang followed, and Miu quickly clutched her hand to her chest before showing it to Kaede. A thick black ooze dripped from the small cuts on her knuckles. “This shit isn’t normal. If all I’m good for is building and understanding machines, then I better hop-fuckin-to it.”

Fumbling for her words, Kaede was interrupted by a shrill laugh. Monokuma had suddenly appeared behind a door, clutching his stomach. “My-oh-my! The circuit slut thinks she can disassemble one of you? This I gotta see!” 

Now Miu was the one blushed, wincing away from the little bear. “Y-yeah, I can! I did it all the time with Keebo, and it never killed him!” 

The two-toned bear placed a paw to his chin as if he was pondering Miu’s words, before giving a little spin and shrug. “That old bucket of bolts? Compared to you and I, his model is beyond out-dated! A real land-line in a world of handhelds, if that makes any sense to you! Besides-” Monokuma gave a little chuckle, glancing between everyone. “You think I’m just gonna let you pry somebody open! No no no! Weren’t you listening when I was explaining it, or were you too busy daydreaming about a dirty fantasy?”

Miu clenched her fists, trembling a bit. Whether from rage or embarrassment, Kaede wasn’t sure. “F-f-fuck off! I told you I’m not a shit-brain! I know how to-”

Monokuma droned on, as if Miu weren’t even there. “Your new bodies are meant to be as real as possible. Maybe I’m just behind the times, but last I checked, prying open somebody’s body is a fast pass to the afterlife! Not that you all lack experience with that.” Another tiny shrug as he spun on his heels, beginning to stagger away. “But hey, maybe that’s a good excuse. I’ve gotta admit, having a murder where the killer pretends to be helping the victims was so-so the last time it happened, but maybe you could make it a bit… more! And you-” He suddenly turned to point a claw at Chihiro, his red eye glowing steadily. “Try any more hacking stunts and I’ll personally pull you apart bolt by bolt! I’m still pissed off from last time!”

The trio was silent then, and Miu shook her wrist a few times, letting the droplets of the mysterious substance spatter the floor like spilled paint as Monokuma vanished. Chihiro was the first to open his mouth. “If you’re the best at understanding this stuff, then… then we need you around.” His voice was a bit quiet, but was slowly gaining force. “Doctors aren’t any good here. Autopsies are going t-to be different. An inventor is our… our best chance!” 

“H-hold on!” Kaede interjected, stepping between the two. “Look, nobody is going to get hurt! We can figure this out.” 

“We have three days, titless.” Miu mumbled, jabbing her hands into her pockets and spinning on her heels. “It’s just like last time. You were always going on and on about how we were gonna escape. Best thing we can do here is fuckin’ prepare.”

As the inventor trudged down the hall, Chihiro glanced between the two girls with wide eyes. “I’ll… I’ll go talk to her.” Without giving Kaede an opportunity to protest, he was trailing after Miu.

“Well well well!” Kaede heard the voice, and stiffened before turning around. It was Kokichi. He had a dopey grin plastered onto his face. Rather than his typical white straight jacket, he was clad in a grey hooded cloak, with a skull crudely painted on the back. Kaede hadn’t really registered how much he changed when she first saw him. She’d been so caught up in… everything. Everyone had changed. So much. His unruly purple hair was somehow even messier, and he carried himself with a bit less finesse. He seemed… smaller. Not literally though. Kaede wasn’t sure how to put it. 

“Earth to Kaede?” The boy called out, waving a hand in front of the pianist’s face. She shook her head before meeting his gaze. “Oh! Good! I came here to tell you all that people are meeting up in the gymnasium again. Talk about obsessiveness! It’s like that stupid room has become our official office! Anyways-” A little twirl of his wrist, and he motioned down the hall. “I just missed the whore and the one short kid, but other people will nab them. I was gonna say something sooner, but then that bear showed up.”

Kokichi motioned for her to follow him, but she remained put. He’d seen that conversation? Kaede wasn’t certain as to why that bothered her. “Why are they all gathering?”

The purple hair boy gave a dramatic sigh and equally dramatic roll of his eyes. “Did you already fall on your head?” Reaching beneath his cloak, he pulled out the envelope containing the letter. 

“Right-” The pianist sighed, glancing at her own. “What is it then, are we developing a plan?”

“Beats me-” Ouma admitted with a halfhearted shrug. “Some big ogre asked me to grab everyone. She’d probably squash me if I didn’t listen!” The boy rocked back and forth on his heels, arching a brow as his cloak gently swayed. “So, are you coming or not? I don’t wanna miss this, and I _really_ don’t wanna get hunted down by a giant.”

After some hesitation, Kaede agreed. The walk to the gym was quick, and it seemed Kokichi had learned how to navigate the school quickly. Entering the room for what felt like the hundredth time, the pianist was shocked to see how small the crowd was. Kokichi seemed to be surprised as well, which was made evident by his grin dropping and his eyes growing wider for only a moment, before he caught his mask slipping and snapped back to his usual smirk.

Due to her antisocial attitude as of late, Kaede realized she knew very few people in the crowd still. This was becoming beyond inconvenient. She needed to meet everyone properly, considering she only had a little over three days at most until… no. No that wouldn’t happen. 

One woman she did recognize, however, was Sakura Ogami. She was standing in the middle of the room, wearing a white gi. At least, that’s what Kaede thought the uniform was called. Was it a jodai? A little shake of her head. Why on earth did it matter. It was safe to assume Sakura was the ‘ogre’ Kokichi had been talking about. Sure, her stature and scars were intimidating, but something about the bright red jacket she wore overtop her uniform made her seem a bit less frightening. 

A few other students Kaede couldn’t name entered after a few minutes. A portly boy with a red apron and a chef’s hat, a girl with short black hair and camouflage pants, and a tall boy with spiky black hair and black trenchcoat-esk jacket to match, just naming a few. Of course, there were those she did recognize as well. Hiyoko and that red head she insisted on clinging to were there, as well as Kaito who was shooting Kokichi a few glances, Kirumi who was speaking with Taeko, and Ibuki who was practically clinging to Mikan. 

Sakura eventually managed to grab everyone’s attention, and the chatter from the small group died down. “It seems there are fewer people here than I would have liked…” She muttered more to herself than the students. “Very well. We have all been given these letters, correct?” She raised the envelope between two of her fingers, and everyone silently nodded. Kaede began to make her way towards a few people she knew as Sakura continued. “I believe it is best that we determine a course of action.”

She found a bit of standing room next to Korekiyo, who had his hair in a low ponytail and was wearing a dark green montsuki and black mask over his mouth. “Kaede, how interesting. Here I thought you’d been… avoiding me.”

A little shake of her head, and she sighed. In truth, she hadn’t gotten the chance to speak to him simply because he’d been around Rantaro so frequently. She didn’t get the opportunity to talk, as somebody from the crowd suddenly stepped forwards. He was heavy set, clad in a grey sweater vest and white shirt spilling out beneath it. He pushed his glasses up his small nose, and huffed. “The solution is obvious!” He swiftly jabbed a finger towards a small group, and Kaede leaned just enough to see his aim was towards Kirumi and Taeko, who gave him a confused look. “We must keep ourselves safe from vicious murderers. Who knows if they might strike again!” He rolled his R’s as he spoke, and Taeko took a step forward and clenched her fists.

“You are one to talk!” She snapped, jabbing a finger towards him. “Or need I remind you of your contribution towards my murders, Hifumi?!”

Hifumi simply swatted her hand away from himself, his eyes also angry as he huffed. “Do not try to fool me again! I won’t be so stupid as to listen to you again! But it looks like you’ve already deceived a few more students!” He cried out, pointing to Kirumi who stiffened up. “These killers,” the boy announced, turning back to the crowd and ignoring Taeko’s scalding glare. “Are a scourge to this group. If we can make sure they can’t kill us, then the motive will not become an issue!”

A few shocked murmurs rippled through the crowd, and even Kiyo’s eyes widened as the boy, Hifumi, continued his speal. Sakura stepped forward as she realized the situation was getting out of hand, and rested a hand on Hifumi’s shoulder. “Yamada that is quite enough. You should know that such a thing is ridiculous. Dividing the group will only-”

“He has a point.” A chill ran down Kaede’s spine as she heard those words. Everyone turned to locate the source of the voice, and everything seemed to freeze as realization settled in. Tenko was standing in the doorway, arms crossed as she looked into the room. Those were the first things she’d said since they’d awoken. Kaede began to step towards the aikido master, but Kiyo quickly held his arm in front of her, casting her a worried glance.

Kaede looked up at the taller boy, and he gave a faint shake of his head. “Don’t.” His voice seemed oddly… sad. Tired, even. Swallowing, Kaede gave up her approach, and instead cast Tenko a confused glance.

“They… they take everything from us.” Tenko said softly, eyes trained on the ground. “The people we care about. The dreams we had. Our lives. Everything.” Now the aikido master clenched her fists at the side of her body, her artificial breaths more labored. “So we should keep them away. Keep them away from us. And you-!” She jabbed a finger towards Kiyo, jaw clenched and face squashed tight into a furious expression. “Stay the fuck away from me, or I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you like you killed me and Angie!” 

Kiyo was frozen, and Kaede felt her own gasp of horror slip past her lips as Tenko’s words registered in her mind. Kiyo killed Tenko _and_ Angie? Why? What for? Two victims weren’t necessary to escape, and… her stomach flipped, and she briefly wondered if it was possible to vomit with these new bodies.

A loud thud echoed through the room, and everyone turned to see Tenko had collapsed, crumpled onto the ground without warning. Sakura was the first one at her side, quickly lifting the girl’s upper body and inspecting her. Kirumi was soon by her side, muttering something into the larger woman’s ear.

Then, Sakura stood, cradling the aikido master in her arms. “She simply fainted from the shock.” The woman explained, giving a little dip of her head. “I will return her to her room and monitor her.” Ah, Kirumi had explained how the fainting worked. Which meant Tenko would awake in exactly forty-five minutes. She internally thanked Kirumi for being subtle with this valuable information, and knew she could trust Sakura with it too.

Hifumi, on the other hand, was still furiously tapping his foot in the center of the gymnasium. “You see? You see how this has affected us victims? Even if they insist they won’t do such a thing again, the killers are a danger just by being around. But we outnumber them!” He outstretched his arms, giving a huff. “With enough cooperation, we can keep ourselves safe. We can keep everyone safe! I’ve devised a plan, and-”

“That’s enough, Yamada.” The short haired woman with camouflage pants suddenly barked. Hifumi winced, and fell silent. Who could blame him? This woman’s overall presence was terrifying. Kaede briefly remembered how she’d been on the victim side their first day here. Who on earth managed to slay such a person? “Acting like this is only going to act as a motive. It’s what Monokuma wants. Besides-” She waved an arm to the crowd. “It’s best to wait until more people are on your side. Then it will be easier to convey your message.”

“On my side?” The portly boy repeated. 

“Few will willingly lock up random strangers right away. Give it time. They’ll realize it’s most likely pointless. I don’t agree with either side, but…” She glanced around the room, eyes cold and calculating. “Power comes in numbers. And trust. You need a common goal.”

Now it was Hiyoko who spoke for the first time since they’d regathered. “What the hell is our common goal then?”

The woman folded her arms behind her back, her pose stiff. “After the first death, fear will rapant. Then, the victims will know people are still capable of killing.”

A few protests echoed through the room, and the woman raised a hand to silence everyone. “It could occur earlier, though. Perhaps the common goal can be ‘preventing the motive from being fulfilled.’”

  
\--------------------------

Bonus: 

Art by me! This is how Miu looks in this story. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello!
> 
> I'm 100% relying on random inspiration for these updates.
> 
> I've just recently started college, so I've been very busy and very stressed as of late. I accidentally wrote myself into a bit of a corner for awhile, but finally got the kick I needed to escape from that.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy. I've included a drawing of Miu! Isn't that just lovely? I'm proud of the design. Maybe I'll eventually doodle some of the other character's designs.
> 
> As always: Feedback, criticism, comments, and theories are always welcomed. I love reading your replies, it's a huge motivator for me to continue writing this story!
> 
> If there’s any particular character you’d like to see drawn out, suggest them in the comments. Not sure if I’ll do it, I just mainly want to see if there’s anyone in particular y’all care about


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